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Medicine cabinet, what medicine cabinet we have a shelf that holds brush, comb, stinkum and some cream for jungle rot. The dental bits live in a couple of pots! Hair stuff lives in the shower, now there is a proliferation of stuff, I use 1 of about 9 different varieties.
Never underestimate the power of human stupidity
RAH
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S u n s h i n e wrote: What's in your medicine cabinet?
Medicine 
The report of my death was an exaggeration - Mark Twain
Simply Elegant Designs JimmyRopes Designs
I'm on-line therefore I am.
JimmyRopes
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So, in a brief moment of enlightenment, I came to a conclusion that my current place of work does not fully utilise my broad range of skills and expertise, and the best course of action for me is to change it (job, not skills). As the grass is always greener on the other side, I put myself on the quest to find it. Unfortunately this meant dealing with those dreadful kind of people called Job Agents. Here are some stories I’d like to share with you:
Story 1
A job agent called, saying he had “a fantastic opportunity” with “a leading company, employing best people and using cutting-edge technology” and I am “a perfect match for the role”. Moreover the MD of the company is “a good friend of his” and he really liked my CV and “is eager to meet me”. I ignored those warning lights, and I decided to go ahead with it anyway. The interview was set up and I showed up at the specified time.
The company turned up to be a complete disaster, chaos and filth in the office, and of course no one expected me. I waited for 20 minutes and some guy came thrice asking my name and if I was sure I had an interview there. I was almost ready to walk out, but was too curious to find out how it was going to end up. Then I was seated in a kind of a store room, which I think was the cleanliest place in the office, where I was interviewed by a techie guy, who must have recently read some book on TDD, and thought it was the greatest thing since sliced bread. On my delicate suggestion that TDD is just a tool, like many others, to help us write better code, he gave me that indulgent look, the way you look at a pathetic ignorant, and our ways parted. I didn’t get to meet MD.
Immediately after the interview, I called the agent as it is customary. No answer. I texted him, emailed him, still waiting for any contact.
Story 2
I received an initial email from an agent. I replied, we had a nice and long email exchange and three possible roles were identified, which I could apply for. She asked me to call her to discuss them in details. That’d be a first time I spoke to her, as all previous conversation was in email.
Now, I might have some heavy eastern European accent, and there are some people who find it a bit difficult to understand in the beginning, but usually after some time they get used to it, and it was never any issue in communication. Anyway, I called the agent. After I spoke two or three sentences, I could clearly sense she became so disappointed (presumably with the way I speak) she cut the conversation short and hung up on me. No further contact was ever made.
Story 3
I talked to an agent, who said to have a “fantastic opportunity” for me, so I asked to email me a job spec. The spec turned out to be for a role of Head of IT with some company in Central London. I politely declined, explaining I can’t see myself in such a role, as I am just a software developer. The agent called me saying that he thinks I am a good match for the position and I’d do just fine. I refused to proceed, stating my reasons, which in any civilized world would be sufficient. But not in London.
The guy kept nagging me with phone calls, texts and emails, saying he cannot understand why I refuse to even consider such a great opportunity. He even set up a phone interview, without my consent. Doh!
Story 4
As usual an agent called with a “fantastic opportunity”. I went to an interview, the company turned up to be quite good, I had a technical test followed by a conversation with a Dev Manager. All went well; in fact it went so well they quickly organized my meeting with CEO, which wasn’t originally planned. Satisfied, I waited for their decision.
Two days later I noticed that the job ad disappeared from agency website. A good indicator that the company filled the position. I contacted the agent, but he said they still hadn’t decided, and it should happen in the next day or two. Waited two more days, and this time I heard that one of the developers was off, so the team couldn’t meet yet to discuss. Few days later I heard one more excuse, after that the agent stopped answering my calls.
So, is it just me or do you find job agents to be quite unprofessional too?
My wife had a really good laugh when I told her all these stories, and now, after some time, I find them funny too. But honestly if we were to do our jobs in the same manner job agents do, we would never develop any good software.
One of the problems I found, at least here in the UK, is that devs are not clients of job agents. We are products that agents try to sell and therefore we are treated accordingly.
What are your stories?
PS. In another moment of enlightenment, I re-considered my position and the current company is not that bad after all.
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Jacek Glen wrote: in any civilized world would be sufficient. But not in London.
I am really sorry to say, but that made me chuckle. 
I really don't have much experience related to job hunting. Also, I am not planning to switch anytime soon from my present employer which is also my first. 
Jacek Glen wrote: current company is not that bad after all
Great!
Whether I think I can, or think I can't, I am always bloody right!
modified 17-Apr-14 10:02am.
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You wouldn't happen to be *job* agent 007 now, would you?
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S u n s h i n e wrote: You wouldn't happen to be *job* agent 007 now, would you?
If he were he would have started out the conversation with "I have a fantastic opportunity for you with a leading company". 
The report of my death was an exaggeration - Mark Twain
Simply Elegant Designs JimmyRopes Designs
I'm on-line therefore I am.
JimmyRopes
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Whether I think I can, or think I can't, I am always bloody right!
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All of this quite normal for UK agencies and from your reading these were actually good experiences
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I was made redundant last year after nearly 14 years with the same company. My story with job agencies is similar to yours in that I was put forward for jobs that were inappropriate in some way or in some cases just wrong. No doubt their thinking was "he's unemployed, he'll take anything."
Jacek Glen wrote: One of the problems I found, at least here in the UK, is that devs are not clients of job agents. We are products that agents try to sell and therefore we are treated accordingly.
I completely agree with this and was certainly the case when I dealt with the 'big boys'. In the end I had the most success with a one-man job agency. He was very professional and took the time to find what I wanted and could realistically expect, rather than just put me forward for jobs that seemed to match a keyword search.
I'm very happy in my new job BTW!
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This is happening to me right now. As well as the dev being off bit. I have had similar run-ins with recruiters, but here's a matching one:
I get a lead on a position from a friend. He knows a couple of the people in there, and get me in. I nailed the interview. They set up the second interview right there, which is unheard of for that company. Calls from the friend telling me I slam dunked it. Get a call the day before the second interview telling me that a "key person" was going to be absent and they couldn't go ahead iwthout them. I can expect a call from one of the office people to reschedule.
I've not heard from them. The funny thing is, I already interviewed with the hr admin, the sr. app developer, the sr. web developer, and the head of hte programming department. This was just supposed to be following up and meeting with the other team members, talking about wages, benefits, etc... What "key person" could you possibly be missing?
Jacek Glen wrote: PS. In another moment of enlightenment, I re-considered my position and the current company is not that bad after all.
I'm coming to the same result. Especially since someone quit recently , and I used that to my advantage to get some change happening.
Elephant elephant elephant, sunshine sunshine sunshine
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Jacek Glen wrote: do you find job agents to be quite unprofessional
Some are utter liars; like saying you get interview expenses and then ignoring your request to get them after the interview.
We should have a list of bad agencies so we can black list them.
"The whole idea that carbon dioxide is the main cause of the recent global warming is based on a guess that was proved false by empirical evidence during the 1990s." climate-models-go-cold
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That's a great idea! There should be a forum for bad agencies. We can all put war stories and names and stuff. would be great.
Elephant elephant elephant, sunshine sunshine sunshine
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We should. Some website somewhere, or a forum or something where we can name and shame, because some of them are the pits.
"The whole idea that carbon dioxide is the main cause of the recent global warming is based on a guess that was proved false by empirical evidence during the 1990s." climate-models-go-cold
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Trouble is it's not the agency, it's the agency employees. Otherwise unemployable types on commission who will do anything to get a tick in the "contacted" box. They frequently have to make targets for contacts, etc. and will say anything to get you on the list. And when they fail to meet the (probably unrealistic) targets, they are let go - and move to another agency and do the same all over again. 
They know nothing about the jobs they are trying to fill, they care nothing for the people they are trying to fill them with...
Those who fail to learn history are doomed to repeat it. --- George Santayana (December 16, 1863 – September 26, 1952)
Those who fail to clear history are doomed to explain it. --- OriginalGriff (February 24, 1959 – ∞)
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OriginalGriff wrote: Trouble is it's not the agency, it's the agency employees.
THe agency is its employees, and if it cant control them it needs shaming.
All the rest of what you say is true for some agencies, and they must be named. If not its not going to get better.
"The whole idea that carbon dioxide is the main cause of the recent global warming is based on a guess that was proved false by empirical evidence during the 1990s." climate-models-go-cold
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Munchies_Matt wrote: THe agency is its employees, and if it cant control them it needs shaming.
All the rest of what you say is true for some agencies, and they must be named. If not its not going to get better.
It's all the agencies, or most all with very few exceptions.
If you want to get an interview you need to go through them. Sometimes it works, most of the time it doesn't.
If you can come up with a list of good agencies that would be more helpful.
The report of my death was an exaggeration - Mark Twain
Simply Elegant Designs JimmyRopes Designs
I'm on-line therefore I am.
JimmyRopes
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SELECT * FROM recruiters
Did you ever see history portrayed as an old man with a wise brow and pulseless heart, waging all things in the balance of reason?
Is not rather the genius of history like an eternal, imploring maiden, full of fire, with a burning heart and flaming soul, humanly warm and humanly beautiful?
--Zachris Topelius
Training a telescope on one’s own belly button will only reveal lint. You like that? You go right on staring at it. I prefer looking at galaxies.
-- Sarah Hoyt
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Jacek Glen wrote: So, is it just me or do you find job agents to be quite unprofessional too?
It's being professionally lazy; they optimize their chances by employing prejudice and bias, and only take time to look at what appears to be a deadbeat-match. Anything that requires work is dismissed immediately.
Since the pool of people they pick from is large enough, no problems. If problems do arise, then a customer may be lost - but who cares about a single customer? 
Bastard Programmer from Hell 
If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]
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Eddy Vluggen wrote: It's being professionally lazy; they optimize their chances by employing prejudice and bias, and only take time to look at what appears to be a deadbeat-match. Anything that requires work is dismissed immediately.
The report of my death was an exaggeration - Mark Twain
Simply Elegant Designs JimmyRopes Designs
I'm on-line therefore I am.
JimmyRopes
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They are all the same (in my experience): stupid, useless, dishonest ...
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Oh yes, you tell them!!
But wait, when you say "stupid, useless and dishonest", you don't mean software developers, do you?
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Agents! of what I have no idea.
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Well it's not Fortune[^], it could be Chaos[^]?
Those who fail to learn history are doomed to repeat it. --- George Santayana (December 16, 1863 – September 26, 1952)
Those who fail to clear history are doomed to explain it. --- OriginalGriff (February 24, 1959 – ∞)
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I hope you're taking the phone interview with #3 to explain to them that you aren't interested in the position, that you tried to explain that to the agent a half dozen times before he/she setup the interview, but it just didn't seem to be sinking in.
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I found your stories really funny (and you are a talented writer, in my opinion).
I've had few experiences with job agents, but suspect your conclusions are right.
Veni, vidi, vici.
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